HOME NEWS

Gerakan Slams Two Assemblymen For Quitting Party

PENANG Dec 3 - The Penang Gerakan said the decision by two state assemblymen to quit the party is aimed at destabilising the party and Barisan Nasional (BN).

Its secretary Dr Teng Hock Nan said the state Gerakan is very angry and disappointed with the action of Lim Boo Chang (Datuk Keramat assemblyman) and Lim Chien Aun (Bayan Lepas) because they had used the party machinery to win their seats in the general election on Monday.

The state Gerakan liaison committee held an emergency meeting last night to discuss the resignations of the two assemblymen which are announced yesterday afternoon.

The committee was shocked by the decision of Chien Aun and Boo Chang because the party had never questioned their loyalty and had endorsed their candidacies for the election, said Dr Teng, who read out the committee's decision at a press conference today.

Dr Teng said it is unbecoming of them to criticise the party leadership, especially after having retained their seats in the election.

The committee regarded as baseless the reasons cited by the two Lims for resigning, particularly their allegation that the state leadership "is of extremely poor quality".

The state Gerakan under the leadership of Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon had proved that it enjoyed encouraging support from the people as evident in the election, he said.

The committee wondered if certain groups are behind the move of the two assemblymen.

Dr Teng said party-hopping after elections is nothing new in Malaysian politics but is confident that the state Gerakan and BN leadership could resolve the matter amicably.

When announcing their resignations, Chien Aun and Boo Chang said they will be independent assemblymen within BN to serve the people.

Dr Teng said it will have been more honourable for the two to withdraw before the people had made their choice because the people supported them in their capacity as Gerakan candidates.

He also said all the state liaison committee members who attended last night's meeting pledged their support for and loyalty to the leadership of Dr Koh and party president Datuk Seri Dr Lim Keng Yaik.

Asked on former state Gerakan chairman Datuk Tan Gim Hwa's statement that some 2,000 members will follow Chien Aun and Boo Chang in leaving the party, Dr Teng said this is just a claim by Tan.

Tan made the statement last night when expressing support for the action of Chien Aun and Boo Chang.

There was also talk that Tan's son, Tee Beng, who lost in the Batu Lancang state seat, may also leave the party.

It is learnt that Dr Koh, who is state Gerakan chairman, has gone to Kuala Lumpur to discuss the issue with the party president.